Sometimes, you can tell when your favorite TV shows aren't firing on all cylinders anymore. The writing isn't as sharp, and the cast itself can seem kind of checked out by the repetition. Even the greatest shows of all time, like The Simpsons, have lost their fastball and don't feel as sharp anymore. This was the case for The Brady Bunch, too. However, it wasn't just the viewers who felt this way. Apparently, the cast felt like their show barely had a pulse at one point, and the writers overcompensated with new characters.
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Recently, The Brady Bunch cast held a reunion at the Chocolate Expo to reminisce about the show. Eventually, they get to the point of fan questions, where one person asks, "What was the deal with cousin Oliver?"
Susan Olsen responded very bluntly and says what a lot of fans of the show were probably thinking as well. "Our shark jump," she shrugs (captured by PEOPLE). "Every time a show is starting to get a little bit lower in the ratings, they start to add in the cute kid."
'The Brady Bunch' Cast Reflects on When The Show 'Jumped The Shark'
Christopher Knight admits that the original crew were starting to get a little too old for its original premise. Barry Williams was similarly embarrassed by the cousin Oliver introduction to the show. "I was looking for the exit when we saw Oliver walking through the front door," he says.
Olsen agrees, and the cast all insist that it wasn't an indictment on the actor Robbie Rist, who played Oliver on the show. Rather, it was a mere reflection of the exhaustion that came with working on The Brady Bunch for so long. "And I loved him. I love Robbie Rist, but I didn't want to go through puberty on TV," Olsen explains.
